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Category: listen

On RelationshipsI recently read a post in one of the groups I’m in which asked the members to work on developing/building relationships with others in the group as opposed to simply posting a link to your opportunity and hoping something will stick. This hit a nerve for me in a good way because I couldn’t agree more with that statement. I’ve noticed a trend lately of individuals who work from home joining multiple groups, posting their links and that’s about it. This seems to be the new trend; almost a “post and run” type of strategy. When you think about it, doesn’t it almost feel like those people you see on the streets wearing the sandwich boards yelling something and/or handing out flyers. They almost become an eyesore and after a while, they just don’t exist anymore. Now, I am guilty of this type of “marketing strategy” as I have made blanket posts of these types sometimes as a form of desperation or thinking MY posts were going to stand out from all the others. In reality, there was no substance, nothing that would really draw someone to WANT to reach out and find out what I had to offer.I didn’t develop a RELATIONSHIP with people.This, I feel, is where many of us miss the mark. It’s not about joining a group then posting a link. It’s about getting to know others. Finding someone who “speaks” to you and reaching out to get to know them. Think about all the relationships you’ve encountered. Your boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, child, etc. They didn’t happen overnight – there was a “courting process” so to speak. You put your best foot forward, made sure your hair was combed, you smelled nice, you dressed nicely…you wanted to make a GREAT first impression because you really liked this person. You wanted to make sure that the person of interest took notice in the RIGHT way and that you weren’t off-putting.OK, with a child, the relationship building process is a little different, but there is still that element of trust that comes into play. The person on the other end needs to feel a connection with you. The need to feel that you are looking out for THEIR best interest and not YOUR bottom line. People are very smart and can tell when they are being taken or trying to be “gotten.” People don’t want to feel as if they are a trophy, prize or meal ticket, so to speak. People want to know and feel that they can trust YOU!!!These relationships take TIME!!! They don’t happen overnight, and if you’re too aggressive, you just may lose that potential customer/business partner. Take the time to get to know the other person. Take a vested interest in THEM. Find out about THEM. Ask open-ended questions which gets them engaged in conversation, and then LISTEN!!! Remember, we’re given 2 ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen more, talk less.Make mental notes about the person and remain engaged. Agree to keep in touch and always keep the conversations private. Communicate via email, text message and if you’re local, once the time is right, arrange a time to meet. Do you want to know what happens when you foster and develop that relationship? You find a new friend, someone who becomes a PERSON with real problems and someone you can HELP!!! What also happens is that person feels grateful to you for taking the time to get to know them, find out their quirks, likes, dislikes and develop that relationship. Then, and only then, will they feel comfortable enough to WANT to hear what you have to offer as a means of help.This isn’t fool-proof and not all people respond the same way. But, the basic premise is the same. It is and always will be about the RELATIONSHIP. Keep building the relationship with others, show a genuine interest and caring attitude, and that will open more doors than any link ever could.